Peanut-harvester.



No. s39,s9|. Patehted Doc. l9, I899. G. W. WILLIAMS.

PEANUT HAR VESTEB.

(Application filed Apr. 2'1, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

1 'rzns 00., PHOTO-Luna. msnmm'au. a. c.

Patented Dec. l9, I899. G W WILLIAMS PEANUT HARVESTER.

(Applicatiqn filed Apr.

2 Sheets$heet 2.

(No Mode l.)

UNITED STATES i ATENT CFFICE.

(mono-E w. WILLIAMS, or NEWVILLE, VIRGINIA;

PEANUT -HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,691, dated December 19, 189. Applicatioif'filed April 27, 1899. Se '714/767- (N0 ode To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newville, in the county of Prince George and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PeanutHarvesters- Digger, Shaker, and Heaper and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in peanut-harvesters; and it consists in the novel devices hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents a top plan View of my machine. Fig. 2 is asection taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is'a detail perspective view of one of the rollers over which the car'- rier runs. Fig. 4 is a detail view, in side elevation, of the foot-latch for controlling the pivotal tray at the back of the machine; and Fig. 5 is a detail View in perspective of the beater seen in Fig. 2. j

The frame of the machine has two side members A A, which converge at their forward ends and are united upon a tongue A. This frame is mounted on an axle A having wheels A thereon. One of said wheels has a clutch-face a upon its hub, which allows a sprocket-gear A also loosely mounted upon said axle and having a clutch-face a to be locked therewith. The coil-spring A normally holds these clutch-faces in engagement; but they may be thrown out of engagement by means of the lever A A sprocket-chain A running over the sprocket-gear A also runs over a sprocket-gear A on the shaft A upon which shaft is also mounted a toothed gear A, which rotates with the sprocket-gear A A shaft B, j ournaled across the rear end of the frame of the machine, has a hexagonal roller B mounted thereon to rotate therewith, and this shaft also has a toothed gear B on one end, which meshes with the gear A, through which it is driven. Over this roller B runs an endless carrier 0, composed of sections pivoted together and perforated and provided with hooked fingers c, as seen most clearly in Fig.

1. This endless carrier also runs over a roller D, which is fixed upon a shaft D, journaled in the forward end of the pivoted frame E, the pivoted point of which is the shaft B, which constitutes the axis of the roller B. The forward end of the pivoted frame E extends beneath and past the axle A and may be raised and lowered'by means of the rockshaft E, pivoted across the frame of the machine and having arms 6 e, from which the forward end of the said pivoted frame is suspended by means of rods or chains e e, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The said rock-shaft has a hand-lever E thereon, by means of which the driver may operate said shaft. Upon each side of said carrier a plurality of wire rods or other suitable strips e are mounted longitudinally of the frame E, their ends being curved under, as shown, the said rods or strips serving to support the ends of the vines while their rootsare carried along upon the carrier and at the same time allowing dirt and stones or other heavy or small particles to fall through. As the carrier runs the under side thereof is subjected to the constant beating action of a pivoted beater F, the shorter end of'which is arranged to be struck by the angles of the roller D successively as the latter rotates and thelonger endf of which is weighted and arranged to fall and impart successive blows to the carrier, the object being to remove any dirt or trash that may adhere thereto and tend to render its action less effective.

The roots of the vines are turned out of the earth by means of a pair of plows H H, set to throw the earth and vines into a central row. The plow-beamsare connected at their forward ends to across rod or arm H, and at their rear ends are connected by means of a crossbeam H which is permanently secured at one end, as at h, to one beam, while its other end passes laterally through the other beam and is perforated with a series of holes for the passage of a retaining-pin h, which allows of ready adjustment of the distance apart of the plows. A second cross-beam I-I may also be used to connect the forward ends of the beams, if desired.

The plows may be raised and lowered by means of a hand-lever H pivoted upon the framepf the machine and provided with suitable holding means, as shown, the said lever being connected to said plows by means of rods or chains h A seat 8 is mounted upon the frame of the machine in a convenient position for allowing the driver to operate the various levers shown.

A tray T, composed, preferably, of slats, as shown, is hinged by means of a shaft, T,at the rear end of the frame of the machine for receiving the vines from the carrier and depositing them at intervals in bunches upon the ground. An upright arm tis rigidly mounted upon the end of the tray-shaft T, and to the arm is connected one end of a rod t, the other end of which rod is connected to the pivoted foot-lever V, which is provided with a footrest '0. To the said foot-lever is pivoted a catch 1;, acted upon by a spring M, which tends to hold the tooth e on said catch in engagement with the notched plate 2:, as seen in Fig. 2, and thus by holding the foot-lever on its forward position to hold the tray T in its horizontal position for receiving the vines from the rear of the carrier 0. The catch 01, however, is provided with a rearward extension, upon which is formed a foot-rest v so that the said catch may be disengaged and the foot-lever released by a simple pressure of the foot. The weight of the tray T, whether empty or loaded, will be sui'licient to cause it to fall of its own accord when released,while the catch will engage automatically and lock the lever upon the said lever being pushed forward again by the foot.

In operation the machine is made to straddle the row, and being drawn forward by the team the plows turn out the roots of the vines to which the peanuts are attached into a row. The carrier of the machine moving, as it does, immediately in rear of the plows and having the hooked fingers above described picks up the vines,roots and all, and conveys them over backward and deposits them upon the tray. This tray is allowed to receive as much as it will contain withoutwaste,when it is dumped by the driver releasing, with his foot, the footlever controlling the tray and immediately returned to its horizontal position for another load. The vines are thus deposited at intervals in piles, and much labor in accomplishing this result is obviated. All the time the machine is running the heaters keep the carrier free from an accumulation of dirt or trash by its constant thumping action,as described.

The many advantages of my machine will be apparent to any practical mind.

I claim- 1. In a peanut-harvester, the combination with a wheeled frame, and plows carried in the forward portion of said frame; of an endless carrier pivotallysupported at the rear of said frame and inclining downward to the rear of said plows; hooked fingers upon said carrier; a pivoted beater arranged to be struck by one of the carrier-rollers and to impart a succession of blows to the said carrier while in operation and gearing driven by one of the wheels of the machine for operating said carrier, substantially as described.

2. In a peanut-harvester, the combination with a wheeled frame, and plows carried in the forward portion of said frame; of an endless carrier pivotally supported at the rear of said frame and inclining downward to the rear of said plows, hooked fingers upon said carrier; a hinged trayin rear of said carrier; a rigid arm connected to said tray, a connecting-rod, a pivoted foot-lever connected to said rod, a notched plate, a spring-actuated catch arranged to engage said notched plate and support said tray, but upon disengagement by the foot to release said tray; and gearing driven by one of the wheels of the machine for operating said carrier, substantially as described.

3. In a peanutdlarvester, the combination with a wheeled frame,'and plows carried in the forward portion of said frame; of an endless carrier pivotally supported at the rear of said frame and inclining downward to the rear of said plows, hooked fingers upon said carrier; a pivoted arm arranged to be struck by the carrier-rollers, and to impart a succession of blows to the said carrier while in operation and gearing driven by one of the wheels of the machine for operating said carrier, substantially as described.

4. In a peanut-harvester, the combination with a wheeled frame, and plows carried in the forward portion of said frame; of an endless carrier pivotally supported at the rear of said frame and inclining downward to the rear of said plows; hooked fingers upon said carrier; a pivoted beater arranged to be struck by one of the carrier-rollers and to impart a succession of blows to the said carrier while in operation; means for elevating and lowering the forward end of said carrier; and gearing driven by one of the wheels of the machine for operating said carrier, substantially as described.

5. In a peanut-harvester, the combination with a wheeled frame, and plows carried in the forward portion of said frame; of an endless carrier pivotally supported at the rear of said frame and inclining downward to the rear of said plows; a pivoted arm arranged to be struck by one of the carrier-rollers and to impart a succession of blows to the said carrier while in operation; means for elevating and lowering said plows; and gearing driven by one of the wheels of the machine for operating said carrier, substantiallyas described.

6. In a peanut-harvester, the combination with a wheeled frame, and plows carried in the forward portion of said frame; means for adjusting the distance apart of said plows; of an endless carrier pivotally supported at the rear of said frame and inclining downward to the rear of said plows; a pivoted arm arranged to be struck by one of the carrier-rollers and to impart a succession of blows to the said arrie'r while in operation and gearing driven upon disengagement hy the foot to release 10' by one of the wheels 01". the machine for opersaid tray, substantially as described.

ating said carrier, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 7. In a peanut-harvester, the combination in presence of two Witnesses. 5 with a tilting tray having a pivoted shaft; a

rigid arm thereon; and a connecting-rod; of GEORGE VILLIAMS' a pivoted foot-lever; a notched plate; and a Witnesses: springactuated catch arranged to engage J. A. BUTTS, said notched plate and support said tray; but A. B. TEMPLE. 

